U.S. patent application number 14/892960 was filed with the patent office on 2016-03-31 for coupler for use in liquid heater and liquid heater.
This patent application is currently assigned to Guangdong Xinbao Electrical Appliances Holdings Co., Ltd.. The applicant listed for this patent is GUANGDONG XINBAO ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES HOLDINGS CO., LTD. Invention is credited to Jiangang Guo.
Application Number | 20160091127 14/892960 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51932922 |
Filed Date | 2016-03-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160091127 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Guo; Jiangang |
March 31, 2016 |
COUPLER FOR USE IN LIQUID HEATER AND LIQUID HEATER
Abstract
A coupler for use in a liquid heater includes a male connector
and a female socket connector. The male connector includes a
connecting wall and an annular cylindrical wall formed around the
connecting wall. The female socket connector comprises an end wall
joined with the connecting wall of the male connector and a
peripheral wall formed around the end wall and arranged
perpendicularly to the end wall. The surface of the end wall joined
with the connecting wall is gradually lowered from the center
towards the periphery and is convex-hull shaped. The peripheral
wall includes arced sections and gapped sections connected between
two arced sections. When the male connector is coupled with the
female socket connector, this allows the arced sections to be
coupled with the annular cylindrical wall and forms no coupling
between the gapped sections and the annular cylindrical wall.
Inventors: |
Guo; Jiangang; (Foshan,
CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
GUANGDONG XINBAO ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES HOLDINGS CO., LTD |
Foshan |
|
CN |
|
|
Assignee: |
Guangdong Xinbao Electrical
Appliances Holdings Co., Ltd.
Foshan
CN
|
Family ID: |
51932922 |
Appl. No.: |
14/892960 |
Filed: |
May 23, 2014 |
PCT Filed: |
May 23, 2014 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CN2014/078351 |
371 Date: |
November 20, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
219/436 ;
285/119 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R 13/5227 20130101;
F16L 21/08 20130101; A47J 27/21008 20130101; A47J 27/2105 20130101;
H01R 13/629 20130101; H01R 13/53 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F16L 21/08 20060101
F16L021/08; A47J 27/21 20060101 A47J027/21 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 23, 2013 |
CN |
201310196518.2 |
May 23, 2013 |
CN |
201320288881.2 |
Claims
1. A coupler for use in a liquid heater, comprising a male
connector and a female socket connector coupled with the male
connector, wherein the male connector comprises a connecting wall
and an annular cylindrical wall formed around the connecting wall,
and the female socket connector comprises an end wall joined with
the connecting wall of the male connector and a peripheral wall
formed around the end wall and arranged perpendicularly to the end
wall, wherein a surface of the end wall joined with the connecting
wall is gradually lowered from a center towards a periphery and is
convex-hull shaped, and the peripheral wall comprises arced
sections and gapped sections connected between two arced sections,
so that when the male connector is coupled with the female socket
connector, the arced sections are allowed to be coupled with the
annular cylindrical wall and no coupling is formed between the
gapped sections and the annular cylindrical wall.
2. The coupler for use in a liquid heater according to claim 1,
wherein the end wall is provided with a plurality of through
holes.
3. The coupler for use in a liquid heater according to claim 1,
wherein the gapped sections are located within a projection region
of a contour of the arced sections.
4. The coupler for use in a liquid heater according to claim 2,
wherein a plurality of tubular divider walls is extended from an
undersurface of the end wall respectively at positions
corresponding to the through holes.
5. The coupler for use in a liquid heater according to claim 4,
wherein a guide baffle is formed on the divider wall, the guide
baffle extending obliquely.
6. The coupler for use in a liquid heater according to claim 5,
wherein an undersurface of the guide baffle is disposed lower than
an interior surface of the divider wall, and the guide baffle forms
a closed annular ring around an outer contour surface of the
through hole.
7. The coupler for use in a liquid heater according to claim 2,
wherein the connecting wall is provided with a mounting hole and a
first electric connector mounted thereon, and the peripheral wall
forms a cavity, in which a second electric connector is disposed,
the first electric connector being in butt joint with the second
electric connector through the through hole.
8. The coupler for use in a liquid heater according to claim 1,
wherein a plurality of laterally stretching shells is extended
laterally outside the annular cylindrical wall.
9. The coupler for use in a liquid heater according to claim 1,
wherein each two of the arced sections on the peripheral wall are
configured symmetrically with respect to each other, and each two
of the gapped sections thereon are configured symmetrically with
respect to each other.
10. A liquid heater, comprising a kettle and a base for heating the
kettle, wherein the base is provided with a coupler for use in the
liquid heater according to claim 1.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a coupler, and in
particular to a coupler for a 360 degree rotary liquid heater. In
the meantime, the present disclosure further relates to a liquid
heater using the coupler.
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
[0002] A coupler is usually needed in a liquid heater, such as an
electric kettle, so that rapid socketing and separation between a
heated part and a base of the electrical appliance can be realized.
A diversified design of the product requires the size of the
coupler to be as small as possible. However, due to the small size,
demand for the coordinating precision in the existing technology is
also greatly increased. In this case, manufacture deviation, as
well as offset and deformation of the coupler during normal use by
a consumer may cause potential quality hazard of the product. The
smaller the coupler is made, the more easily the relative rotation
between a male connector and a female socket connector of the
coupler during coordination is jammed. Hence, in order to satisfy
high demand for precise coordination, and to address the challenge
on precise coordination due to the manufacture deviation and the
deformation of the coupler during use, higher demand is raised for
the design of the coupler.
[0003] In addition, during normal use of the liquid heater, water
often drips on the base, but due to small size of the coupler,
electrical parts and insulated parts therein should have more
compact sizes. Therefore, the water should be expelled out of the
coupler as soon as possible, so that the electric safety
performance of the liquid heater when power is on will not be
influenced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The objective of the present disclosure is to provide a
coupler for use in a liquid heater. The coupler can not only
satisfy requirement of small size and sufficient coordinating
precision, but also improve the electric safety performance.
[0005] A coupler for use in a liquid heater comprises a male
connector and a female socket connector coupled with the male
connector. The male connector comprises a connecting wall and an
annular cylindrical wall formed around the connecting wall, and the
female socket connector comprises an end wall joined with the
connecting wall of the male connector and a peripheral wall formed
around the end wall and arranged perpendicularly to the end wall. A
surface of the end wall joined with the connecting wall is
gradually lowered from a center towards a periphery and is
convex-hull shaped, and the peripheral wall comprises arced
sections and gapped sections connected between two arced sections,
so that when the male connector is coupled with the female socket
connector, the arced sections are allowed to be coupled with the
annular cylindrical wall and no coupling is formed between the
gapped sections and the annular cylindrical wall.
[0006] Further, the gapped sections are located within a projection
area of a contour of the arced sections.
[0007] Further, the end wall is provided with a plurality of
through holes.
[0008] Further, a plurality of tubular divider walls is extended
from an undersurface of the end wall respectively at positions
corresponding to the through holes.
[0009] Further, a guide baffle is formed on the divider wall, the
guide baffle extending obliquely.
[0010] Further, an undersurface of the guide baffle is disposed
lower than an interior surface of the divider wall.
[0011] Further, the connecting wall is provided with a mounting
hole and a first electric connector mounted thereon, and the
peripheral wall forms a cavity, in which a second electric
connector is disposed, the first electric connector being in butt
joint with the second electric connector through the through
holes.
[0012] Further, the annular cylindrical wall forms a coordinating
space with an upper surface of the connecting wall, and an
accommodating space with the lower surface thereof for
accommodating the female socket connector.
[0013] Further, a plurality of laterally stretching shells is
extended laterally outside the annular cylindrical wall.
[0014] Further, the peripheral wall is provided with an earth
wire.
[0015] Further, each two of the arced sections of the peripheral
wall are configured symmetrically with each other, and each two of
the gapped sections thereof are configured symmetrically with each
other.
[0016] In addition, a liquid heater is further provided according
to the present disclosure, comprising a kettle and a base for
heating the kettle, wherein the base is provided with the
abovementioned coupler for use in the liquid heater.
[0017] As compared with the prior art, in the liquid heater
comprising the coupler according to the present disclosure, the
peripheral wall of the female socket connector comprises arced
sections and gapped sections connected between two arced sections,
and the surface of the end wall is gradually lowered from the
center towards the periphery and is convex-hull shaped. In this
case, jamming of the male connector relative to the female socket
connector can be alleviated while the coupling precision is
guaranteed. In the meantime, residue of water dripped onto an end
surface of the female socket connector can be reduced. Even if
small amount of water flows into the coupler from a through hole in
the end surface, it will flow out of a bottom of the coupler along
the guide baffles on the divider walls, whereby contact between the
charged second electric connector and water can be avoided, and the
risks of electric shock can be reduced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The above is only an overview of the technical solution of
the present disclosure. In order to describe the technical solution
of the present disclosure more clearly, the accompanying drawings
for illustrating the examples of the present disclosure or the
prior art will be described briefly. The drawings described herein
only correspond to the examples of the present disclosure. Where
necessary, an ordinary person skilled in the art can obtain other
drawings based on the drawings of the present disclosure without
creative work. In the drawings:
[0019] FIG. 1 schematically shows a perspective sectional view of a
coupler according to a preferred example of the present
disclosure,
[0020] FIG. 2 schematically shows a sectional view of the coupler
according to a preferred example of the present disclosure,
[0021] FIG. 3 schematically shows a top view of a female socket
connector of the coupler as shown in FIG. 1,
[0022] FIG. 4 schematically shows a right side view of the female
socket connector of the coupler as shown in FIG. 1,
[0023] FIG. 5 schematically shows a sectional view of the female
socket connector of the coupler as shown in FIG. 3, and
[0024] FIG. 6 schematically shows a bottom view of the female
socket connector of the coupler as shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0025] In order to elaborate the technical solution of the present
disclosure for achieving a predetermined objective, the present
disclosure will be clearly and comprehensively described in view of
the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the examples described herein
are only a part, not all, of the examples of the present
disclosure. In addition, technical means or technical features in
the examples of the present disclosure can be substituted without
any creative work. The present disclosure will be described in
detail based on the examples in view of the accompanying
drawings.
[0026] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a coupler according to a
preferred example of the present disclosure is disposed in a base
of a liquid heater, such as an electric kettle, so that the
electric kettle can be electrically connected to the base. The
coupler comprises a male connector 10 and a female socket connector
20 coupled with the male connector 10.
[0027] The male connector 10 comprises a connecting wall 11 and an
annular cylindrical wall 12 formed around and perpendicularly to
the connecting wall 11. The annular cylindrical wall 12 extends
perpendicularly to the connecting wall 11 and connects an upper
surface and a lower surface of the connecting wall 11, and forms a
coordinating space 13 with the upper surface and an accommodating
space 14 with the lower surface. A plurality of building blocks is
disposed in the coordinating space 13 for coordinating with
components in a bottom of the kettle when a charged base
coordinates with the kettle. The connecting wall 11 is provided
with a number of mounting holes, and a same number of first
electric connectors 15 are mounted thereon. An end of the first
electric connector 15 protrudes out of the upper surface of the
connecting wall 11 and enters into the coordinating space 13, and
an other end thereof protrudes out of the lower surface of the
connecting wall 11 and enters into the accommodating space 14.
According to the present example, provided is two first electric
connectors 15 for electric connections with respectively an anode
and a cathode. A plurality of laterally stretching shells 16 is
extended laterally outside the annular cylindrical wall 12 for
coordinating with components inside the base in a manner of
engagement when being assembled.
[0028] The female socket connector 20 comprises an end wall 21
joined with the connecting wall 11 of the male connector 10, and a
peripheral wall 22 formed around the end wall 21, and extending
downward from and arranged perpendicularly to the end wall 21. The
peripheral wall 22 encloses into a cavity around an end of the end
wall 21. As shown in FIG. 5, a surface of the end wall 21 joined
with the connecting wall 11 is gradually lowered from a center
towards a periphery and thus is convex-hull shaped. In this case,
water drops dripped onto the surface of the end wall 21 can slide
down along the end wall 21 rapidly and be expelled, rather than
staying thereon. The end wall 21 is provided with a plurality of
through holes 24. The number and positions of the through holes 24
correspond to the number and positions of the first electric
connectors 15 of the male connector 10, so that the first electric
connectors 15 can enter into the cavity 23 through these through
holes 24. A plurality of second electric connectors 25 is disposed
in the cavity 23 for connecting with the first electric connectors
15. The second electric connectors 25 can be fixed in the cavity 23
by being connected with an interior of the peripheral wall 22.
According to the present example, provided is two second electric
connectors 25 for electric connections with respectively an anode
and a cathode.
[0029] A plurality of divider walls 26, which are located at
positions on an undersurface of the end wall 21 respectively
corresponding to the through holes 24, is extended in the cavity 23
along an axial direction, so that each two of the first electric
connectors 15 that enter into the cavity 23 are divided by a
divider wall 26. A guide baffle 28 is formed on the divider wall
26. The guide baffle 28 extends obliquely, and an undersurface of
the guide baffle 28 is disposed lower than an interior surface of
the corresponding divider wall 26, so that water flowing from the
end wall 21 to the through hole 24 can be led out along the guide
baffle 28, instead of going over the guide baffle 28 onto an
interior surface of the cavity 23. In this case, contact of water
with the second electric connectors 25, which are disposed on the
interior surface of the cavity 23, can be prevented, whereby
electric safety can be guaranteed.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 6, the peripheral wall 22
comprises arced sections 221 and gapped sections 222 connected
between two arced sections 221. The arced sections 221 each form an
arc surface for coupling with the annular cylindrical wall 12 of
the male connector 10 when being assembled. When the male connector
10 is coupled with the female socket connector 20, no coupling is
formed between the gapped sections 222 and the annular cylindrical
wall 12. In this case, when a small sized coupler is made, jamming
between the annular cylindrical wall 12 and the peripheral wall 22
will not occur as easily as complete arc surface coupling does, so
that the male connector 10 can rotate relative to the female socket
connector 20 and be precisely positioned. Each two of the arced
sections 221 are configured symmetrically with each other, and each
two of the gapped sections 222 are configured symmetrically with
each other. In the present example, two arced sections 222 are
provided and symmetrically arranged on the peripheral wall 22.
[0031] Further, an earth wire 27 is led out of the peripheral wall
22 for forming a ground loop for the coupler.
[0032] On a coupling surface of the coupler according to the
present disclosure, the peripheral wall 22 of the female socket
connector 20 comprises arced sections 221 and gapped sections 222
(which can be respectively called hollow edge or non-hollow edge),
so that jamming caused by a distortion of a circumference can be
reduced while ensuring coupling precision. In addition, the surface
of the end wall 21 of the female socket connector 20 is gradually
lowered from the center towards the periphery, so that water can
flow out along the surface of the end wall 21, whereby residue of
water dripped onto an end surface of the female socket connector 20
can be reduced. As a result, the risks of electric shock can be
reduced. The gapped sections 222 are located within a projection
region of a contour of the arced sections 221, so that the surface
of the end wall 21 of the female socket connector 20 is nearer to a
center of the female socket connector 20 at the gapped sections
222. That is, the smaller an area of the end wall 21, the shorter
time the water would stay on the end wall 21, whereby water can
easily flow out from the gapped sections 222. In addition, the size
of the female socket connector 20 can be reduced due to the
non-hollow edge, whereby cost of assembly space in the material
costs can be reduced accordingly. In this case, the coupler can be
smaller, so that requirement of diversified design of the liquid
heater can be satisfied. The liquid heater, such as a kettle, using
the coupler according to the present disclosure has the advantages
of high safety performance, long service life, and low production
cost.
[0033] The examples described above are only preferred examples of
the present disclosure, thus should not be construed as any form of
limitation to the present disclosure. Various modifications can be
made by any one skilled in the art to the present disclosure
without departing from the scope and spirit of the present
disclosure and components in the present disclosure could be
substituted with equivalents. Any amendments, substitution, or
improvements to the examples within the spirit and principle of the
present disclosure fall within the scope of the present
disclosure.
* * * * *